thanks for the book recommendation, so long as i don't have to create the various play activities. see, that's the issue. i have read a number of books about play-as-learning and every one includes things that you can make!

because i just don't want to make anything.

as it is, we do play with him and read to him and talk to him. and, i have a few small books that have things like "Bee" and then B and also a bee drawing. right? this your-baby-can-read stuff is not for academics to me--i could care less--but they have these cards that are words with pictures and are a bit more diverse than some books i've seen.

maela, i'd definitely be interested in the book that you recommend.

also, i do plan on finding the Einstein book, i just hope that the play activities aren't craft-based for mom because i just don't have the skills (or time or desire!).

and, seeing as he's only 3 months, he's very happy just playing with people. moving his body, being talked to, read to, and he's into looking at our bodies move and mimicking (particularly hands--he's trying to snap as ryan snaps at him as part of his hand/finger games).

i'm not worried about it at all. i just thought it would be fun to have word-and-picture to play with.

oh, and hawk loves mirrors and photographs of people. he was looking at his newborn photos and loves to do that. he can look at pictures of people forever!

MMM I'm sorry your DP's parents are being so rude. So it's rude of you and your DP to make gift suggestions, but not rude for them to say yes to coming to your house for a holiday and then say they're going somewhere else?

Signing: Abby's doing "more" at mealtimes, which is great, but she's also doing it all throughout the day. Hmm. I can't figure out what she wants more of. Maybe she thinks it means "want" in general?

Just saw on local mom's list that baby born same day as Abby is saying "kee" for kitty and waving hello/bye and pointing at things when asked where they are. Abby's not doing any of that, except sometimes waving. Dang. I hate feeling like she's behind, even though I know know know every baby is different.

so despite Rhea being sick all through Thanksgiving weekend, she had a cluster of surprises for us. first, I noticed her passing her chew bracelet back and forth from one hand to the other several times in succession. Then 2 days later she rolled over twice! then today I had a boppy pillow on the couch with the opening toward the back, and I had her inside the space so I could eat some lunch without dropping it all over her. She first did a kind of back bend, then I saw her wriggle up to a cockeyed sitting position! I moved her back because I barely believed what I was seeing, and she did it again! good thing we ordered her high chair last week.

snozz, she's fine, promise. She is signing, and probably attaching different meanings to it. The other baby might not be signing. But in essence, comprehension always comes before production, so she's gearing up on that first. She'll be producing more in no time, promise.

maela, I keep meaning to comment on how much fun it must be to see maev's language explode like that!

zoe, I hear ya on the no crafts thing...I married an artisan, so I figure HE can make the crafts, but even if I didn't, I'd not have any idea what to do in that dept.

I think I have to take another break from the computer. I don't watch more than one tv show a week, but i'm online sooo much. I feel like it's almost just asbad, yk? i'n not getting anything accomplished and december is going to be a crazy/busy month for us. So, yeah i'm ging tobe gone for at least a few days. I'll miss you all though!

i am so angry at dd right now and am coming here because i need to express it to someone who is not her. she broke my glasses. yes i know i should not have let her access the glasses. but that just makes me angry at myself. having a rough time with this unfamiliar emotion.

also having a lot of tiny but frequent concerns re her development -- 1. is she "behind" and 2. is she not being given optimal attention in her daycare setting. the second is definitely partly working mamas guilt and is not at all tiny. dh is so sick of hearing about the first -- he thinks dd is perfect and is hence offended when i query whether her speech is too indistinct, etc. mostly i am worried that she "lost" a ton of words between 9 and 11 months, when she was working on walking. has tons of new ones every day now (picked up again in october), but not very well articulated -- too many things sound like "gah." also has stopped maintaining eye contact for long periods -- dh thinks she is just too busy to have a staring contest. the pretend play however is through the roof cute, and making up tons of interactive games. he also really doesn't get the second, in part because he does not get the professionalization of early childhood education -- she is happy and that makes him happy -- he is a simple man. he is completely smitten that she identifies her body parts. i am less surprised because i have a much higher estimation of her receptive vocabulary, and her verbalizing it is just an extra.

MMM: I'm sorry the ILs are being so insensitive! (can I call them ILs, they're acting like ILs...I call my parents the ILs when they insist on acting stupid). I hope they'll fall in love with the litle guy when he comes and this doesn't become a pattern. You don't need this, especially now. Don't worry, I was a wreck too. s

Quote:

Originally Posted by snozzberry

Signing: Abby's doing "more" at mealtimes, which is great, but she's also doing it all throughout the day. Hmm. I can't figure out what she wants more of. Maybe she thinks it means "want" in general?

.

Kai uses the sign "more" to designate want. When he does it I say "More what? Show me." and he'll point to the desired object. Usually. He's doing it more and more.

piepie: our LOs are on par. Kai is far to busy to be his usual social self...unless it means chasing other children.

meala: My dentist FIL says it's normal to get molars before the canines (the third ones out). Kai has 11 teeth (the front 8 and three molars)...I am simply blown away by that number...it's crazy! When did he get so big!

No baby...and no more meltdowns either. DP has been saying Dec 4th for weeks now. I'm positive she's wrong! I've always said Dec 13th which is a full moon and the day before his due date. He was conceived on a full moon and since being pregnant, I've felt a real affinity for the moon so it seems like a lovely full circle to come.

My house is clean, I've had a pedicure and a haircut, I just finalised my will and I've paid all my bills. I'd love for him to arrive soon but I have no sense that he will!

MMM, so excited for you! Very good idea paying your bills. I missed a cc payment after J was born.

We've been very busy over here lately this month. J's two top teeth started coming in, she started crawling and pulling herself up, and now taking steps while holding our hands (!). I'm pretty sure she made the sign for milk a few times, she initiated peek-a-boo for the first time and is adding a whole bunch of new consonant sounds. Wow, things are moving fast. We really have to make the house baby-friendly fast, and figure out how to put up a Christmas tree at the same time.

Sorry I have been absent. I'm reading along and checking in, just haven't had a chance to post. The teething has been pretty rough - please someone tell me that the top front teeth are worse than at least some of the others?

it's so frustrating when parents don't act like grown ups. i say ignore them as best you can, and focus your energy where it should be: your soon-to-be-born new bean! :

it may seem a little woo-woo, but i started talking to the lo about getting ready to be born. i asked her to get ready, and encouraged her to help mama to help her be born. i talked to her a lot during labor, and maybe it just helped me to be more focused, but my labor was awesome. just a thought, and feel free to ignore me.

Christina,

the top front teeth are worse than at least some of the others. really. after to the 1 yr molars, they were the hardest.

No baby...and no more meltdowns either. DP has been saying Dec 4th for weeks now. I'm positive she's wrong! I've always said Dec 13th which is a full moon and the day before his due date. He was conceived on a full moon and since being pregnant, I've felt a real affinity for the moon so it seems like a lovely full circle to come.

My house is clean, I've had a pedicure and a haircut, I just finalised my will and I've paid all my bills. I'd love for him to arrive soon but I have no sense that he will!

Thanks for all the love and support everyone :

Ah, a friend of mine is due on the 13th...how cool would it be if your sons arrived on the same day? She had her meltdown the day after you, by the way.

The teething has been pretty rough - please someone tell me that the top front teeth are worse than at least some of the others?

I consider myself an expert The top two were the worst until we got to the molars. I have it from other parents that the top two were the absolute worst for them

Quote:

Originally Posted by farmama

Shanna,

how are you holding up?

It's still rough going, and I can't see into his mouth to see how we're doing on the last 2. But, he's at least spacing out sleepless nights, so we're getting some rest. Thanks for thinking of me I can't wait to come here and report that they're all in!!! Gotta go. Be back soon for baby watch!

the top front teeth are worse than at least some of the others. really. after to the 1 yr molars, they were the hardest.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~Shanna~

I consider myself an expert The top two were the worst until we got to the molars. I have it from other parents that the top two were the absolute worst for them

It's still rough going, and I can't see into his mouth to see how we're doing on the last 2. But, he's at least spacing out sleepless nights, so we're getting some rest. Thanks for thinking of me I can't wait to come here and report that they're all in!!! Gotta go. Be back soon for baby watch!

THANK YOU! : That is a huge relief. At this point I don't know how we'll see/feel in her mouth so maybe we just won't know she's working on teeth. teehee don't I wish. She just won't let us stick our fingers in her mouth anymore. Especially if she has a chunk of paper in there that she tore off a magazine.

Shanna, I didn't get to post while you were having the crisis but I hope you are done very soon. I can totally understand the way you were feeling, if this bout of teething we've had is any preview.

Checking in! DP was clearly wrong on Dec 4th but I may also be wrong on Dec 13th. Midwife thinks Squeak will be born within the week - based mostly on his position which is perfect and very secure (ie. deeply engaged, can't even feel his head, just shoulders). I sure hope she's right because I've been put on bedrest for my stupid blood pressure which again isn't high, just a bit higher than usual for me and seems to be strangely fluctuating!

she is happy and that makes him happy -- he is a simple man. he is completely smitten that she identifies her body parts. .

HA!!! I totaly missed this!! Not only should we get our silly moms together, and our ridiclously strong children together, now we need to get our simple, body part identifying hubies together.

Oh, and Kai just realized he can use his ability to climb on things other than playground/church nursury equipment. I found him in the middle of the kitchen table eating a cookie yesterday and he keeps getting up on the computer desk to play with the laptop and my geraniums!! ACK!!!

Checking in! DP was clearly wrong on Dec 4th but I may also be wrong on Dec 13th. Midwife thinks Squeak will be born within the week - based mostly on his position which is perfect and very secure (ie. deeply engaged, can't even feel his head, just shoulders). I sure hope she's right because I've been put on bedrest for my stupid blood pressure which again isn't high, just a bit higher than usual for me and seems to be strangely fluctuating!

I'll try to post more later, but:
Fenton has slept through the night the last 2 nights. I can't see yet if his teeth popped through, but it could be related to the fact that we have eliminiated wheat. I'm still waiting to see how this shakes out, but so far I feel like I have an entirely different child in the night. I'll try to elaborate more later.

i have decided to give myself a nice retreat for the holiday season--30 days of yoga classes, but i can only do this if i have a mother's helper. a friend's daughter is going to be home for the holidays, and i'll only need her for mornings for this retreat.

so, what would be a good payment per hr (i'll need her about 2 hrs total)? i'll only need her for 25 days or so, of course, maybe 24...on account of christmas. . .anyway. advice would be nice.

let's deal with definitions to make sure we are on the same page. here, mother's helper means someone who is in the home at the same time as you are. they tend to be young -- as young as 9, but usually more like 13. they go for 10-13 an hour, often commensurate with age. older people (out of high sch) and/or people who are home with babe without you are called babysitters and go for 20 an hour. which is related to why we have had a grand total of 2 dates since dd was born. the other huge drawback about babysitters is that they charge for a 4 hour minimum, even if you use them for less. take this tempered with the knowledge that ny is ny, but i have heard the same rates for wdc.